a relatively long, evenly shaped piece of some solid substance, as metal or wood, used as a guard or obstruction or for some mechanical purpose.
the bars of a cage.
an oblong piece of any solid material.
a bar of soap;
a candy bar.
the amount of material in a bar.
an ingot, lump, or wedge of gold or silver.
a long ridge of sand, gravel, or other material near or slightly above the surface of the water at or near the mouth of a river or harbor entrance, often constituting an obstruction to navigation.
anything that obstructs, hinders, or impedes; obstacle; barrier.
a bar to important legislation.
a counter or place where beverages, especially liquors, or light meals are served to customers.
a snack bar;
a milk bar.
a barroom or tavern.
(in a home) a counter, small wagon, or similar piece of furniture for serving food or beverages.
a breakfast bar.
the legal profession.
the practicing members of the legal profession in a given community.
any tribunal.
the bar of public opinion.
a band or strip.
a bar of light.
a railing in a courtroom separating the general public from the part of the room occupied by the judges, jury, attorneys, etc.
a crowbar.
Music.
Also called bar line. the line marking the division between two measures of music.
the unit of music contained between two bar lines; measure.
Ballet. barre.
Law.
an objection that nullifies an action or claim.
a stoppage or defeat of an alleged right of action.
Typography. a horizontal stroke of a type character, as of an A, H, t, and sometimes e.
Architecture. (in tracery) a relatively long and slender upright of stone treated as a colonette or molded.
Building Trades.
an iron or steel shape.
I-bar.
a muntin.
Military. one of a pair of metal or cloth insignia worn by certain commissioned officers.
bars, the transverse ridges on the roof of the mouth of a horse.
a space between the molar and canine teeth of a horse into which the bit is fitted.
(in a bridle) the mouthpiece connecting the cheeks.
Heraldry. a horizontal band, narrower than a fess, that crosses the field of an escutcheon.
Obsolete. a gateway capable of being barred.
to equip or fasten with a bar or bars.
Bar the door before retiring for the night.
to block by or as if by bars.
The police barred the exits in an attempt to prevent the thief 's escape.
to prevent or hinder.
They barred her entrance to the club.
to exclude or except.
He was barred from membership because of his reputation.
to mark with bars, stripes, or bands.
behind bars, in jail.
We wanted the criminal behind bars.
at bar,
before the court and being tried.
a case at bar.
before all the judges of a court.
a trial at bar.
a centimeter-gram-second unit of pressure, equal to one million dynes per square centimeter.
(formerly) microbar. b
barometer.
barometric.
barrel.
barrister.
a rigid usually straight length of metal, wood, etc, that is longer than it is wide or thick, used esp as a barrier or as a structural or mechanical part
a bar of a gate
a solid usually rectangular block of any material
a bar of soap
anything that obstructs or prevents
an offshore ridge of sand, mud, or shingle lying near the shore and parallel to it, across the mouth of a river, bay, or harbour, or linking an island to the mainland
an alluvial deposit in a stream, river, or lake
a counter or room where alcoholic drinks are served
a counter, room, or establishment where a particular range of goods, food, services, etc, are sold
a coffee bar
a heel bar
a narrow band or stripe, as of colour or light
a heating element in an electric fire
(in England) the area in a court of law separating the part reserved for the bench and Queen's Counsel from the area occupied by junior barristers, solicitors, and the general public See also Bar
the place in a court of law where the accused stands during his trial
the prisoner at the bar
a particular court of law
(in the House of Lords and House of Commons) the boundary where nonmembers wishing to address either House appear and where persons are arraigned
a plea showing that a plaintiff has no cause of action, as when the case has already been adjudicated upon or the time allowed for bringing the action has passed
anything referred to as an authority or tribunal
the bar of decency
Also called: measure. music
a group of beats that is repeated with a consistent rhythm throughout a piece or passage of music. The number of beats in the bar is indicated by the time signature
another word for bar line
insignia added to a decoration indicating a second award
a strip of metal worn with uniform, esp to signify rank or as an award for service
a variant spelling of barre
sport See crossbar
gymnastics See horizontal bar
part of the metal mouthpiece of a horse's bridle
the space between the horse's teeth in which such a part fits
either of two horny extensions that project forwards and inwards from the rear of the outer layer of a horse's hoof
See crowbar glazing-bar
lacemaking needlework another name for bride 2
heraldry an ordinary consisting of a horizontal line across a shield, typically narrower than a fesse, and usually appearing in twos or threes
maths a superscript line ⁻ placed over a letter symbol to indicate, for example, a mean value or the complex conjugate of a complex number
in prison
informal cannot tolerate; dislike
to fasten or secure with a bar
to bar the door
to shut in or out with or as if with barriers
to bar the entrances
to obstruct; hinder
the fallen tree barred the road
(usually foll by from) to prohibit; forbid
to bar a couple from meeting
(usually foll by from) to keep out; exclude
to bar a person from membership
to mark with a bar or bars
law to prevent or halt (an action) by showing that the claimant has no cause
to mark off (music) into bars with bar lines
except for
the best recital bar last night's
without exception
barometer
barometric
barrel (container or unit of measure)
barrister
(in England and elsewhere) barristers collectively
the legal profession collectively
to become a barrister
to be appointed as a Queen's Counsel
A unit used to measure atmospheric pressure. It is equal to a force of 100,000 newtons per square meter of surface area, or 0.987 atmosphere.
An elongated, offshore ridge of sand, gravel, or other unconsolidated sediment, formed by the action of waves or long-shore currents and submerged at least during high tide. Bars are especially common near the mouths of rivers or estuaries.
A ridgelike mound of sand, gravel or silt formed within a stream, along its banks, or at its mouth. Bars form where the stream's current slows down, causing sediment to be deposited.
Bar, barrier, barricade mean something put in the way of advance. Bar has the general meaning of hindrance or obstruction: a bar across the doorway. Barrier suggests an impediment to progress or a defensive obstruction (natural or artificial): a trade barrier; a mountain barrier; a road barrier. A barricade is especially a pile of articles hastily gathered or a rude earthwork for protection in street fighting: a barricade of wooden boxes.
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English barre, barr, bar, from Old French, from unattested Vulgar Latin barra “rod,” of obscure, perhaps pre-Latin, origin
First recorded in 1770–80; from Louisiana French bère, baire, apparently representing dialect pronunciation of French barre “barrier, rod”; see bar 1
First recorded in 1900–05; from Greek báros “weight”; cf. barometer, isobar
If you bar a college student from entering a bar because he's too young to drink, it means that you prevent him from going into an establishment that serves alcoholic beverages. Bar is one of those handy words with many different meanings. There's the kind of bar where you order coffee or a drink. There is also the bar that a bartender keeps close at hand in case she needs a weapon when patrons get rowdy — like a long piece of metal. And when you bar something, you make it inaccessible in some way. The word bar comes from the French word barre, which means "beam, gate, or barrier."
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Foden set a high bar with his performances the year after City's Treble-winning season, registering a career-high 27 goals and 12 assists.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Who needs umbrellas when you’ve got a tanning bed, a chin-up bar, beef-tallow stockpiles, and a gallon of only-sometimes-poisonous raw milk?
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026
Magyar's government has moved to turn the page on the Orban era, passing a swathe of anti-corruption measures and changing the constitution to effectively bar Orban from running again.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
Its nautically-themed bar regularly draws locals at sunset for Negronis.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
“Well, hello to you too,” scowls Colin, wiping the bar.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
Two other candidates - Formula Eagle, led by former BAR team boss Craig Pollock, and Pantera Team Asia - were ruled out at an earlier stage.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2023
Cargill asked the British company BAR Technologies to design a sail for cargo ships.
From NewsForKids.net ● Sep. 6, 2023
“These components will have to pass a BAR inspection with a certified state inspector and these vehicles will either need to be confirmed or corrected so that they’re street legal.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 14, 2023
BAR HARBOR, Maine — The National Park Service approved the first entrance fee increase in five years for Acadia National Park, officials said Tuesday.
From Washington Times ● Mar. 28, 2023
It is no matter; I am— MRS BAR.
From A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 7 by Various
“Then we went to the far north side of Chicago to a Lithuanian neighborhood to play some grizzled old guys upstairs at the top of an old, smoky bar. They creamed us.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
His son added: "You see the same four to five walls, the same faces, the same people on the door, behind the bar. It feels more like a family in that sense."
From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2025
"The method we currently use to assess vision in dogs is a very low bar. In humans, it would be equivalent to saying yes or no if a person was blind," says Mowat.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 18, 2024
“Everton has set a bar. People say it is too harsh. I don’t think it is having studied the ruling,” sports lawyer Chris Farnell told The Associated Press.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 24, 2023
“It wasn’t my bar. And no, I didn’t see that.”
From "Ask the Passengers" by A.S. King
“First meeting the Primal Scream boys at the Milk Bar. Hot Soho streets and cold glasses of beer.”
From The Guardian ● Jul. 7, 2020
“The night was called Rattenbar: Rat Bar. And there he was,” Tillmans has said.
From The New Yorker ● Sep. 3, 2018
“There he is, Bar. Terry. He’s the one,” Bush playfully told his wife.
From Washington Times ● Apr. 18, 2018
“There were always 15 to 20 people around in front of the Water Bar. You would have thought they were drinking vodka martinis or something,” said Steve Drew, director of Greensboro’s water system.
From Washington Times ● Mar. 20, 2016
“We can eat at the Oyster Bar. You like that. C’mon.”
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
To check his memory, Bar- ton asked if there had been a telephone in the White House office.
From Time Magazine Archive
Bar- raged by questions about rising interest rates, living costs and labor demands, he replied: "You don't expect us to walk across the street and tell you fellows that things are bad, do you?"
From Time Magazine Archive
Or will it be someone I would never suspect, Ser Bar- ristan or Grey Worm or Missandei?
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
Actually, Stanley had been impressed when he first found out that his great-grandfather was robbed by Kissin' Kate Bar- low.
From "Holes" by Louis Sachar
A special prize was given every year to Miss Katherine Bar- low for her fabulous spiced peaches.
From "Holes" by Louis Sachar
In a tribute on its Facebook page, Breeze Hill Bar, Eatery and Hotel, where Lucy worked, said she was "exceptionally good at looking after our customers, many of whom will miss her lots".
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
The party was held at the Patriot’s Bar, a flag-filled watering hole at JPMorgan’s new skyscraper where Dimon has been hosting parties and social gatherings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Bar an early vote or a reshuffle, if elections are held in September 2027, Meloni will be the first Italian prime minister to have governed for a whole term with just one government since 1946.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
Downtown has seen a few bright spots on the venue map, with newly-opened Pacific Electric in Chinatown and a revamped Bar Franca in the Historic Core.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
Had he done it deliberately, to pay back Mars Bar for all his nastiness?
From "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli
Prosecutors said Alexander Soofer falsified invoices claiming he was serving fresh meals to residents while actually serving breakfast bars and microwavable ramen noodles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Winnie is well used to the spotlight - from performing in London bars to outdoor music festivals - but singing in an alien language brought a whole new world of challenges.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
The capital was already buzzing with activity after the final, where thousands of supporters who gathered in bars and three fan zones had poured out into the streets in celebration.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
"So that's one of our next big bars that we want to clear."
From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026
She smelled several bars of soap, sidestepped a display overflowing with bouncing balls, and examined some dangling spider plants before she found the shelf with cornmeal.
From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn
If the court later grants the states a preliminary injunction, the companies would be barred from closing the merger while the states’ antitrust lawsuit proceeds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Sherrone Moore continued to lead the team, even after the athletic director grew suspicious of the relationship and barred him from traveling with his executive assistant.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Besigye's other lead lawyer, Kenya's Martha Karua, was barred from entering the country when she flew in to represent him last month.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
Craig and Lindsay Foreman remain barred from contacting their children or loved ones, the family have said.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
Not one would admit them; every time they were dismissed insolently and the door barred against them.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
The foul came with a one-game suspension, barring Balogun from playing against Belgium tonight at 8 Eastern.
From Slate ● Jul. 6, 2026
In office, he shifted the federal government’s thinking on Title IX, the federal law barring sex-based discrimination in educational activities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
Lebanese army units, meanwhile, deployed in parts of the south, barring motorists from reaching areas near Israeli troops.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2026
“I expect it to be a slow/steady decline at retail, barring any other unexpected events,” added Oil Price Information Service’s Brian Norris.
From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026
I ran mindlessly toward the cabin door only to find Alice’s mother there barring my way.
From "Kindred" by Octavia Butler
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.